The Rider Page #5

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off to your left.

When he jumps up,

put your shoulder forward.

Just like that. Perfect.

Now, let me...

Don't forget to lift across.

There you go.

Get your feet involved.

Saddle.

There you go.

Lift on that rein now.

Ride like it's gonna be the

last horse you ever get on.

'Cause any bronc

could be the last one.

There you go.

All right, let me

feel the jump.

Go ahead.

Okay, go ahead.

Go ahead, jump.

All right.

About right there, then.

All right.

Go ahead.

See how I go back and across?

Lift!

Way out here,

hold him a second.

Beat him back to the ground.

Hold him a second.

Beat him back to the ground.

Fast feet.

James, you want to try?

Yeah.

All right.

- You all right?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

This is Lane Scott's

old riding shirt.

He won about

$15,000 in one summer

in this shirt.

Gee.

Yeah.

It was mine for a while.

(TV PLAYING INDISTINCTLY)

I probably had

my best summer in it.

And if it fits you,

you can have it, too.

But way too short

in the arms for me.

Damn.

CAT:
Some cowboys believe

yellow is superstitious.

- Yeah.

- That one's lucky, though, huh?

Yeah, that one

must just be 'stitious.

Yeah, just

a little 'stitious.

'Stitious is okay.

- It's classy and old-school, too.

- Yeah.

Don't make it look bad.

Yeah. Try on them chaps, too.

You got any chaps?

JAMES:
Uh-huh.

If they fit,

go ahead and take 'em.

JAMES:
Fit perfect.

Thanks, Brades.

Appreciate it.

Yeah.

Can't wait to ride

in these bad boys.

MAN ON TV:
This is the reigning

world champion saddle bronc rider!

James, you still wrestle?

Sometimes. Haven't practiced

in a while, though.

Come on, let's wrestle, then.

- Right now?

- Why not?

I... I mean, are you sure, Brades?

Is your head okay?

I'm fine.

Been a long day, hey.

Shake it up a bit, huh?

Come on, James.

JAMES:
Okay.

All right, let's do it.

BRADY:
All right,

let's go, then.

Just watch his noggin.

MAN ON TV:
In his first appearance

ever, has an excellent round.

(BOTH GRUNTING)

(WHOOPS)

CAT:
Get that leg out.

Okay, Brade. Okay.

Brady, I'm pinned.

All right, all right,

all right, man.

F***, Brady.

F***, man.

- You all right?

- JAMES:
Yeah.

- BRADY:
Didn't hurt you, did I?

- Said I was pinned.

Told you I was done.

What's the matter

with you?

CAT:
Cowboy up, part'.

MAN ON TV:
With the highest-marked

run of the National Finals Rodeo.

(TATTOO MACHINE BUZZING)

BRADY:
You don't think I was

too hard on James, do you?

CAT:
No, he's all right.

You know, I... I know

about your hand.

I know you ain't supposed to be

rodeoing or anything like that.

Must be tough.

But you just

gotta learn to let it go.

Move on.

Or else it'll eat at you.

But it's gotta be tough.

I mean...

I understand.

You don't understand.

BRADY:
"Say I won't,

and I will"?

Pick up.

There you go. There's one.

All right.

Jesus.

Looking good,

stud muffin.

Okay, grab the saddle horn.

Grab on.

With this hand.

Let him... Let him

bend over a little bit.

WOMAN:
Got it.

Good job. Keep going.

BRADY:
Get a hold, brother.

MAN:
Okay, push through

on this leg hard, Lane.

You ready?

- I got him.

- WOMAN:
Check.

Okay, bend this leg, Lane.

Come around. Come around.

Lift over.

Keep going.

Okay, now, sit down.

- Sit down.

- WOMAN:
Nice.

Okay, come up.

Use your arms.

All the way up, Lane.

- Good job, buddy.

- All the way up.

(CHUCKLES)

- Good job.

- Nice work.

Don't wanna get a burn.

Sunburn.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Whoa, boy. Now, slow

him down a little bit.

All right.

Stop him and back him up.

All right, now,

stick your chest out.

Sit... Sit up straight.

Let's go... Let's do

some loping and go fast.

Really loping off

into the distance, huh?

You bet.

All right, wheel him

around to the right.

Wheel him around

to the left.

All right, now stop him.

Ho, boy.

Let me hear you say "Ho"!

Ho.

Good job, Lane.

All right, now, you better hold on.

She might go to bucking.

Better if you can keep

a good tight seat in there.

(CHUCKLES)

Grab a hold of

that saddle horn, huh?

Bobbing her head.

You better lift on your rein.

Lift, lift, lift,

lift, lift.

Lift, lift.

You got her pulled up now.

Sit up, Lane.

Sit up and look at me now.

Pick your head up, brother.

Pick your head up, Lane.

You got it now, all right?

Stay tough.

There you go.

All right, brother.

Well...

It was really good

seeing you.

All right, brother.

Sit up for me.

Look at me now, brother.

Look at me.

There you go.

Big and tall.

All right, brother.

See you.

Give me a hug, now.

Give me a good one.

Give me a good one.

There's my man.

I love you, brother.

(ENGINE STOPS)

(SOBBING)

(GUN COCKING)

(MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS)

WOMAN:
(ON P.A.) Meat department,

can you come to desk eight, please?

Excuse me,

are you Brady Blackburn?

Yeah.

Oh, this is my little brother,

and he's a huge fan.

- What's your name, buddy?

- Adriano.

- Good to meet you.

- Nice to meet you, too.

You're gonna be a bronc rider

when you grow up?

- Yes, sir.

- You betcha.

Yeah, I think

he wants to take a picture.

He's been talking

about you all day.

All right. You...

You riding pony broncs yet?

Yes, sir.

You gonna stick it to 'em

when you get older, huh?

- Yes, sir.

- You bet.

(PHONE CLICKS)

- All right, thank you.

- Right on.

So, do you, like, work here?

Oh, yeah, I'm just trying to stay

busy while I'm healing up, you know.

BOY:
Nice.

- Yeah.

- Hope you get better soon.

And look forward

to see you ride.

- Thank you, buddy.

- Yes, sir.

- Nice to meet you, Brady.

- Yeah. You boys spur 'em high.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

(SIGHS)

(WHISTLING)

Apollo!

(WHISTLES)

Come on, boy!

Whoa, Apollo.

Whoa.

Whoa, Apollo.

Boy.

(SIGHS)

(WHINNIES)

(SIGHS)

I'm sorry, buddy.

(SNORTING)

I'm sorry, Brady.

This is all there is to do.

Whistle for him

when you walk away, please.

(WHISTLES)

- (GUNSHOT)

- (BODY THUDS)

(SPITS)

BRADY:
You know, Lilly,

Apollo got hurt,

and we had to put him down.

Nope.

Nuh-uh.

BRADY:
It's not fair

to the horse.

He can't run and play

and do what he wants to do.

She doesn't go on.

You know, I got hurt

like Apollo did.

But I'm a person,

so I got to live.

If any animal around here

got hurt like I did,

they'd have to be put down.

You know, Lilly,

I believe God gives

each of us a purpose.

Very true.

To the horse, it's to

run across the prairie.

For a cowboy, it's to ride.

WAYNE:
Where are you

going with that?

Where does it look like I'm going?

I'm going to the rodeo.

You f***ing crazy?

I'm gonna ride. I figured

you were coming to watch.

What the f***

would I wanna come for?

Watch you kill yourself?

You're just stubborn as hell.

You won't listen to nothing

anybody tells you anyway.

Oh, I don't listen?

I always f***ing listened.

I listened to everything

you f***ing said to me.

What happened to "Cowboy up,"

"Grit your teeth," "Be a man"?

What happened

to all that, Dad?

You don't need to

go ride today.

- You don't need to f***ing go ride.

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